THE SCENE
DINING OUT
New & Noted Little India
Alastair Dickie
What: Nepalese and Indian cuisine in the most peculiar of places Where: B18, Coco Park North, Shopping Park Metro Exit B, Mingtian Lu, Futian District, Shenzhen. Why: Rich flavours, strong spices, large portions and ridiculously cheap prices The area beneath the commercial development Coco Park is a labyrinth. Metros lead to halls that lead to malls that lead to underground boutiques. Wandering these subterranean passages is a bewildering and often frustrating experience, but now and again it can throw up some real gems. And the newly opened Little India is one such diamond. Serving up generous servings of traditional Indian and Nepalese cuisine in the most incongruous of Shenzhen locations, Little India proves a worthy find. And the menu doesn’t disappoint. The Chicken Korma (RMB 58) was a perfect blend of rich coconut flavours, thick creamy sauce and soft tender chicken; the deeply aromatic Lamb Rogan Josh (RMB 58) was easily the equal of anything I’ve had back on Manchester’s
36 TalkMagazine
August12
(in)famous Curry Mile, and the spicy Chicken Vindaloo (RMB 58) blew my face off, reducing my taste buds to quivering wrecks and left me with an hour-long head sweat, exactly as I’d hoped. The true measure of an Indian restaurant however is its appetisers and side dishes, and Little India did a good job of delivering. The Onion Bhajis (RMB 28) were large, crisp and flavoursome, the Samosas (four pieces, RMB 30) were sumptuously stuffed full of fresh vegetables, and the Naan Breads (plain RMB 12, garlic RMB 15 and Kashmiri RMB 25) were just sublime. There is room for improvement at Little India however in some respects. The artificial lighting in its underground setting was harsh on the eyes, and left my internal bodyclock horribly skewed. Likewise, improvements can made on customer service; the waitress who served us wore a permanent scowl. The food however, was more than worth it, and considering there is a distinct dearth of Indian food in Shenzhen, this reviewer can warrant a decent meal to seasoned veterans and newcomers alike.
Neu York Delites
Alastair Dickie
What: American-style diner in the new Link City development Where: Unit B27B, Link City Underground Mall, 1 Zhongxin Si Lu, Futian District, Shenzhen. Tel: (755) 8831 5116. Why: Good honest American atmosphere and phenomenally priced burgers Shenzhen’s latest addition to its already tottering pile of malls is Link City, a new underground shopping complex opened between the Coco Park and Convention and Exhibition Center metro stations. However this isn’t your average uberextravagant mega-mall. Link City seems to have adopted a Goldilocks approach, with its long row of boutiquestyle shops and semiindependent restaurants that are neither pretentious nor pricey. Neu York Delites is the latest addition: a cheerful, American-style diner specialising in a good selection of burgers at extremely reasonable prices. The décor is bright and colourful, with comfortable leather booths built into the walls and an open-plan kitchen facing onto the restaurant. The staff are attentive, competent English speakers happy to point out the best deals, rather than con you into an expensive option. An averagely priced burger in Shenzhen usually goes for RMB 70-100, but here they start at just RMB 27, and prove every bit as good. The NYD Mushroom Burger (RMB 27) is a perfectly pitched vegetarian option with sautéed mushrooms and fresh
vegetable toppings, the NYD Crispy Chicken Burger (RMB 32) contains a tasty fried chicken breast coated in a sweet homemade chilli sauce, and for those who think size is everything, the T-Rex Burger with its double patties (320g of beef) topped with sliced onions, tomatoes, greens and relish, served in a crisp bun is an absolute steal for RMB 52. Each of these burgers comes with optional added house fries (charmingly served in a wicker basket) and a soft drink for an additional RMB 10. For those who don’t fancy an American patty, a well-presented Fish and Chips (RMB 42) is a good option and there is a good selection of pasta dishes (RMB 32 upwards). The prices alone make NYD a mustsee, but the quality of the food makes it particularly special and Neu York Delites is definitely worth a look.
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